


Heartbeats

by Sunfall_of_Ennien



Series: Beyond [2]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Blindness, Comfort, Comfort No Hurt, Healing, Injury, Injury Recovery, M/M, Temporary Blindness, Trauma
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-05
Updated: 2020-12-05
Packaged: 2021-03-09 18:47:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 158
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27890998
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sunfall_of_Ennien/pseuds/Sunfall_of_Ennien
Summary: There is a tomorrow at the end of every nearly every day, healing is possible after hurt, and just because they broke you, doesn't mean you stay broken.
Relationships: Merlin/Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)
Series: Beyond [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2042314
Comments: 12
Kudos: 46





	Heartbeats

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [When the Dawn Breaks](https://archiveofourown.org/works/17253011) by [Polomonkey](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Polomonkey/pseuds/Polomonkey). 



The first time was in early spring. After months of sullen refusal, he allowed Arthur to carry him to the secret garden where his stumbles went unobserved and his falls were broken by wildflowers.

The second time, Arthur supported Merlin’s arms as he sightlessly traced the infant's features. In a voice weak from disuse, Merlin croaked, “What’s his name?” He heard the smile in Gwen’s voice as she and Lancelot answered together: “Will”.

The third time, he knew he wasn’t mistaken. Head nestled on Arthur’s chest, sunlight across his cheek, Merlin dozed and listened to his husband’s heartbeat. It was only later he realized he had passed the long hours without a single nightmare. “Can you hear it too?” 

Arthur nodded against Merlin’s neck. “It’s getting stronger.” 

“How long can your heart beat for both of us?” 

“As long as you need. Forever.”

The dam broke. Eventually the sobbing quieted and Merlin slept. 

“Beloved,” Arthur whispered, “Welcome home.”

**Author's Note:**

> This came out of a (partially) joking wish to repair any hurt done by "Beyond" (which precedes it in this short series), with the challenge of using 128 words exactly as before. It ended up being 1) almost like a haiku version of a larger work I'm writing, and 2) a personal exploration of healing after trauma (ofa type not described in these stories). In short, I guess this turned out to be kind of important to me in ways I didn't even realize when I was writing it. Thank you for reading it. <3


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